Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

It’s Bad, Folks

The Phillies lost today to the Marlins to fall to 36-45. They are nine games under .500 for the first time since July 25, 2006. It is their worst record through the first 81 games in a season since 1997, when they were 23-58. Rookie manager Terry Francona blistered his team in a meeting following their 81st game that season. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel held no such meeting this afternoon.

“I’ve talked enough to our guys,” he said. “I don’t know how much more I can say. We got some guys that are new on our team. I can’t be beating them every day. People think just because you put on a Phillies uniform … that doesn’t make you an All-Star player. What the hell? We’ve got to work to improve.”

The Phillies won 102 games last season. They’re on pace to lose 90 this season.

It’s looking bleaker and bleaker by the day, folks. But the Phillies had some pretty interesting comments following today’s loss. Of course, talk is cheap, but here is what they said about this disastrous start to the season.

Carlos Ruiz
“You know, it’s hard, man. I think we try so hard. But I can tell you one thing. I think everything is going to change at one point. That’s what I feel. We have to put it together, we have to keep fighting and see what happens.” Asked why it’s going to change, he said, “I don’t think its going to be like this all year, I don’t think so. I know that’s baseball and it’s hard. We have to keep fighting.”

Jonathan Papelbon
“I definitely don’t think it’s gone the way I expected or gone the way anybody had expected in here. No one expects us to be in last place. I think there is a lot of baseball left. You ask me that question. I was in a situation where a team was down nine games with a month to go (last season). So if you want to ask me that question, I say, hey, there’s still plenty of time. Some adjustments have to be made, yeah. But there’s no reason to throw in the towel or wave the white flag by any means. By any means. I think everyone in here knows what we need to do. You know, little things win baseball games.” Asked about the chemistry and attitude in the clubhouse, which seems much different than previous seasons, he said, “I think it’s good. I think everybody in the clubhouse knows what we have to do to win on a daily basis and I think everyone knows what we have to do to go out there and be in the chase at the end of the season. I don’t think anybody is hanging their head. I think everyone in here is taking it as a challenge. And that’s all you can do. When you’re put in the face of adversity, usually your best comes out. And I think the guys in this clubhouse will respond that way.”

Roy Halladay
“It’s up to us. It really is. We can tuck our tails or we can fight. There’s a chance we fight and still come up short, but I’d rather do it that way than admit defeat halfway through the year. I think we’ve got a long ways to go. Getting Chase (Utley) back, Howie’s (Ryan Howard) coming back, I feel like I can pitch better. We’ve got a lot of things that can improve that I think we’re looking forward to in the second half. I believe we have the mentality that we’re going to go out and play hard. If we come up short we come up short, but I don’t think it’s going to be due to a lack of effort or a lack of interest. I feel like we have a chance and we’re going to go out and play that way.”

Nothing more than words, but they still think they have a good run left in them. It better happen quickly.

With 5 consecutive division titles and a world series to boot, having 1 losing yeardoes stink….however, this year isn’t over yet. Plenty of baseball left. Getting Howard back will change the lineup dramatically…there is a reason we call him the Big Piece.

Honestly, it is more about the rest of the division than them. They pretty much held pat over the offseason, which was a big mistake IMO, considering how the playoffs panned out the last 2 years. Everyone else in the division got better. Add the Utley, Howard, and Halladay situation to that, along with whatever is wrong with Cliff, and you end up with a disaster. I don’t want them to throw in the towel, but word on the street is the Phillies are getting ready for a fire sale. I see them essentially going nowhere this year. And IMO, winning a wild-card berth and bounced in the first round ala last year is still “going nowhere”. That’s the best-case scenario. I hope they get serious about upgrading this team significantly for next year.

Wow, i hear the frillies are having a fire sale. AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY???? The Braves would like Hamels if he is on the block, we have some middling prospects we would be able to provide. Hey, how’s that attendance, big payroll thing working out?

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